Summer 2-week vacation in Russia

Summer 2018 in Russia. 2-week cultural activities packages.

2-week cultural activities programs is the best decision if you want to find new friends, explore Russian culture and traditions, have a good rest after Russian classesand spend the best Russian vacation! There are 2 options to choose: “Petrozavodsk vacation” and “Karelian vacation”. You will master your Russian speaking skills and have a good rest in Russia in summer 2018!

“Petrozavodsk vacation” program is for all those who prefer to explore the city and no to go out of it. The program consists of the most favourite students’ activities which take place in Petrozavodsk. They are Guided tour around the city with a photographer, Russian speaking Game club with a Russian teacher, Cooking class “How to cook Karelian pies” and Dancing class “Dance like Karelians”.

“Karelian vacation” program is for all those who want to have intensive vacation, good rest and travel in Russia. The program includes 4 events in the city, 2 trips and relaxing time in Russian banya. You will enjoy fresh air and communication with your new friends from all over the world, broaden your mind in a company of the best guide, explore cooking and dancing, feel joy playing board games and master your Russian speaking skills. You will be impressed with the beauty of northern nature and wooden architecture of the Kizhi Ensemble , which is the UNESCO World cultural and natural heritage.

“Petrozavodsk vacation” package includes:

Guided tour around Petrozavodsk with a photographer

You have a chance to reveal all the secrets of amazing city Petrozavodsk! Walk with a professional photographer and get cool pictures!

On the second day of your program you will walk around our cozy green city with the best guide and photographer! The guide will show you the most interesting and exciting places of Petrozavodsk and tell about the history of the city. The photographer will capture all your emotions in photograph. Duration – 1-1,5 hour

Russian speaking club. Game club.

Speak Russian and have fun with a Russian teacher.

The Russian club is a good place where you can practice your Russian, watch Russian films, discuss Russian books and play Russian games. The professional Russian teacher leads the club. The language of the club is Russian (available for all levels). Don’t be afraid of speaking Russian and even making mistakes. The teacher will help you to correct them and if necessary will explain everything in English. You will not only learn many new exciting things about our country, its people and culture, but practice the language, learn how to express your thoughts and feelings in Russian and have a great time in a good company. Duration – 1,5 hour

Game club. Relax, but don’t forget about Russian. This is the idea! You can play various table games and practice the Russian language and communicate with other Russians. Such informal meetings with Russian teacher and other locals help you to learn the language easily.

Cooking class "How to cook Karelian pies - "Kalitki"

Cooking class “How to cook Karelian pies – Kalitki”.

You will be immersed in the universe of traditional Karelian hostess and cook Karelian pies – Kalitki – womb to tomb on your own! The leader of the cooking class Nastya will tell you her grandmother’s secret recipe. Today Kalitki are eaten throughout Finland as well as in the neighbouring Estonia and northern Russia. After cooking you will drink tea from real samovar!Duration – 2 hours

Dancing class "Dance like Karelian"

Put on Karelian costume and dance! Have you ever dance accompanied by a button accordion! This is really fun and enjoyable activity. Unforgettable experience! Duration – 1-1,5 hour

Kizhi Open Air Museum

Open air museum is located on Kizhi Island in Onega Lake. This unique historical, cultural and natural complex is a particularly valuable object of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia. The basis of the museum collection – the Kizhi Ensemble – is the UNESCO World cultural and natural heritage site. Restoration of the Kizhi monuments is being carried out “in front of the world”. You will enjoy the magnificent landscape of the island and the world’s famous masterpieces of Russian wooden architecture. Duration – 6-7 hours

Kivach Waterfall is situated in the Southern part of Karelia on the river Suna. It is the second largest flat waterfall in Europe. Assumption church (the oldest church in Kondopoga town and highest church in Karelia) is a bright example of wooden architecture.

Magnificent and expressive Assumption Church is one of the most recent wooden tent temples of Karelia created in the ancient traditions of people’s masters. Interior of the Church is amazing.

The 1st Russian resort founded by Peter the Great is located in54 km from Petrozavodsk! You still can drink water from a local mineral spring. Duration – 7 hours

Russian banya

You can’t leave Russia without visit to Russian banya. It is the place where you can not only wash yourself, but also improve your health! At the same time banya is another Russian tradition of peaceful relaxing and communicating in special warm atmosphere.

Russian banya’s recipe for success is “steam+heat”. Temperature inside is about 70C and humidity is almost 100%. It allows to warm-up human’s body deeply. To make this process more effective different brooms (oak, birch, pine etc.) are used for massage.

Usually there are two rooms in Russian banya –dressing room and steam room. In the last one the main process usually happens.

So how to visit banya? Step by step
1) Before going to a steam room remove clothes (you can wear a bathing costume), rings, necklace, take off make-up.
2) Take a shower or swill yourself. Don’t wet your hair, put on a special hat or use a towel to hide your hair and not to get a heat stroke.
3) For the first time stay in the steam room no longer than 5-7 minutes and put a broom into a bowl with warm water to make its leaves softer.
4) There is a stove with special stones on it in the steam room. As soon as the stones get hot you should water them. You can do it each time you need more steam and heat.
5) As soon as it is steamy enough you can start take a steam bath and massage yourself with a broom. Wave broom in the air and pat slightly yourself or your friend with a broom.
6) After each visit of the steam room you can stay in the dressing room and put a towel round yourself.
It is better to visit banya regularly – once per week or twice per month.
And relax!

Food and drinks. It is better to eat 1-1,5 hour before banya start.Take along a thermos with hot tea. Duration – 2-3 hours